Spool mounting tool

ABSTRACT

A spool mounting tool for the lifting and mounting of a spool having cable, rope, wire and the like wrapped thereabout in a manner to mount the spool on a horizontal supporting unwinding shaft, the tool consisting of a lifting rod lever having an elongated body portion with generally opposed first and second ends, the second end being associated with a second end portion of the body portion that is bent out of the axis of the body portion to form a concave angle therewith, a handle attached to the rod&#39;&#39;s second end and extending to opposite sides of the rod, a hollow sleeve member adjustably slideably received on the rod body portion adapted to engage a spool placed on the rod intermediate the sleeve and the front rod end at which time the sleeve is secured to the rod by a locking device on the sleeve in a manner to temporarily retain the spool in the selected position on the rod, and a supporting and stabilizing member having one end pivotally connected to the rod intermediate the body portion and second end portion thereof and adapted to swing vertically relative to the rod between an inoperative position laying on a ground surface and an operative supporting and stabilizing position resting on the ground substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod body portion such that a spool placed on the rod may be lifted and engaged onto an unwinding shaft by the tool which controls both the initial tilting, lifting and swinging movement of the spool in the application of the spool to the unwinding shaft.

addatz et a1.

[ Sept. 10, 1974 SPOOL MOUNTING TOOL [76] Inventors: Sheldon L. Kaddatz; Bonnie E.

Kaddatz, both of RR. No, 4, Box 426, Forests Edge, Burlington, Wis. 53105 [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 390,102

2/1967 Wanless 254/131 Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant ExaminerEdwar\d J. McCarthy [57] ABSTRACT A spool mounting tool for the lifting and mounting of a spool having cable, rope, wire and the like wrapped thereabout in a manner to mount the spool on a horizontal supporting unwinding shaft, the tool consisting of a lifting rod lever having an elongated body portion with generally opposed first and second ends, the second end being associated with a second end portion of the body portion that is bent out of the axis of the body portion to form a concave angle therewith, a handle attached to the rods second end and extending to opposite sides of the rod, a hollow sleeve member adjustably slideably received on the rod body portion adapted to engage a spool placed on the rod intermediate the sleeve and the front rod end at which time the sleeve is secured to the rod by a locking device on the sleeve in a manner to temporarily retain the spool in the selected position on the rod, and a supporting and stabilizing member having one end pivotally connected to the rod intermediate the body portion and second end portion thereof and adapted to swing vertically relative to the rod between an inoperative position laying on a ground surface and an operative supporting and stabilizing position resting on the ground substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod body portion such that a spool placed on the rod may be lifted and engaged onto an unwinding shaft by the tool which controls both the initial tilting, lifting and swinging movement of the spool in the application of the spool to the unwinding shaft.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SPOOL MOUNTING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION more particularly to a tool for lifting and mounting a spool onto a spool supporting unwinding shaft.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heavy spools, either wooden, metal, or the like, are commonly utilized in the packaging of rope, cable, wire and the like in a manner providing ready access thereto. For easy accessability, the spools are normally placed for usage on horizontally extending spool supporting unwinding shafts adapted to engage centrally of the spool such that the spools may rotate freely thereon permitting the unwinding of the cable therefrom. The unwinding shafts are spaced upwardly from a ground surface a distance greater than the diameter of the spool to permit the free rotation thereof, and because of the normally large size and weight of the spools, at least two people are needed to lift the spools onto the unwinding shaft.

Prior art devices have been devised in'an attempt to facilitate this lifting by a single person rather than requiring two persons, but such are cumbersome, unsafe, and still require operation by more than a single person in a manner to achieve both the lifting and mounting of the spool on the unwinding shaft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved mounting tool for the lifting and mounting of the spools on an associated unwinding shaft by a single person with the tool being adjustable for variable heights of unwinding shafts.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a tool for not only lifting a spool onto an unwinding shaft, but also providing a stabilizing and supporting member so as to control the lifting, tilting, and swinging movement of the spool in a positive and secure manner between a rest position on the ground and the mounted position on the unwinding shaft.

A further feature of the invention provides a tool having a sleeve member thereon adjustable for spools of various sizes in a manner to control any initial tilting of the spool preparatory to the lifting and mounting on the unwinding shaft.

Still a further feature of the invention provides a tool for the lifting and mounting of spools onto an unwinding shaft with the tool being selectively adjustable for different heights of unwinding shafts.

The provision of a spool mounting tool, such as briefly outlined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes the principal features of the present invention. The provision of a tool which is simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a low cost by simple manufacturing methods; one which is rugged and durable and which therefore may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand continuous usage in a safe manner to the individual utilizing the tool; one which utilizes a minimum of components with positive locking and adjusting devices associated therewith to assure the safe operation thereof; and onewhich, otherwise, is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2 with the spool lifted from the ground and the supporting stabilizing member contacting the ground to support the tool in the operative position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the spool slid off of the tool and mounted onto the unwinding shaft; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings the tool is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral l0 and is comprised of three component parts, namely a lifting rod lever 20, a hollow sleeve 30 slideably received on the lifting rod lever and freely slideable therealong, and a supporting and stabilizing member 40 having one end pivotally connected to the lifting rod lever and adapted to swing vertically relative thereto as will be later described.

The lifting rod lever 20 is of a cylindrical configuration having an elongated body portion 21 and a handle end portion 22 formed integral with the body portion and bent upwards out of alignment with the axis of the body portion to form a concave angle therewith. A handle 23 has its midportion connected to the handle end 22 such that the handle extends to the sides of the handle perpendicular to a plane containing the axis of both the handle end 22 and the body portion 21. The free end 24 of rod body portion 21 is formed to be received by, and supported on, an unwinding shaft 1 l in a manner as shown in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive. While it is to be understood that the end 24 is formed to be received upon the end of shaft 11 in any suitable manner, it is preferred that the end by undercut at about a 45 angle with the top wall surface of the rod portion 21 thus extending a further outward distance than the bottom wall surface thereof in a manner to permit the end 24 of the rod to be supportedly engaged onto the end of the unwinding shaft 11 when the handle end 22 of the rod is resting on the ground supporting surface 12 with the rod projecting upwardly therefrom. Further, a stop or plug 25 is spaced inwardly of end 24 and extends diametrically through rod body portion 21 providing a stop for engagement with the end of shaft 11 utilized when body portion 21 is pivoted upwardly about the end of the shaft 11 to be coaxially aligned therewith such that only a limited portion of the end of the shaft is engaged within the body portion providing that a sufficient amount of the shaft is thus exposed to completely receive thereon a spool 14 having cable, rope, wire or the like 15 wrapped thereabout.

The hollow sleeve 30 is comprised of a cylindrical elongated sleeve member 31 dimensioned to slide freely over the rod body portion 21, and a locking device 32 in the form of a fastener having an L-shaped handle extending radially from sleeve 31 and received in a threaded aperture (not shown) extending radially completely through a side wall of the sleeve member 31 such that the sleeve 30 may be adjustably positioned at any selected position along the rod body portion 21, and the selected position maintained by tightening the locking device 32 in a known manner to frictionally engage the outer circumference of the rod body portion to retain the sleeve member in position.

The supporting and stabilizing member 40 consists of a first pair of elongated rectangularly shaped members 41 extending parallel to a plane containing the axis of rod and spaced apart from each other in confronting relationship. The top end portion 42 of members 41 are pivotally connected to the rod 20 at a position intermediate the handle end 22 and the rod body portion 21 by a bolt 43 provided with an enlarged head portion 44 at one end and being threaded to receive thereon a nut 45 at the opposite end. Apertures 46 provided in the top end portion of members 41 are aligned with each other, after which they are coaxially aligned with an aperture extending through the 'rod 20 in a direction normal to the plane containing the axis of the rod 20, at which time bolt 43 is axially inserted through the aligned apertures. The bottom end of members 41 are each received in an associated one of a pair of similarly parallelly extending U-shaped channel second members 48 disposed in confronting parallel relationship and extending upwards from a base 49 which is of an elongated flat rectangular configuration. Each of the bottom end portions of first members 41 and top end portions of second members 48 are provided with longitudinally spaced transversely extending apertures 51 extending therethrough such that the first members 41 may be moved in opposed reciprocal directions relative to second members 51 in a telescoping manner into and out of therewith, with the selected overall length of combined members 41 and 48 being retained by insertion of a bolt 52 axially through a set of coaxially aligned apertures 51 to retain the selected adjusted position.

It is to be understood that while first members 41 are shown in FIG. 1 as rectangular in configuration, that as seen in FIG. 5 the same members 41 may be also suitably of U-shaped channel configuration adapted for snug sliding engagement within associated channel members 48.

In operation, end 24 is passed centrally through spool 14 with the spool then being tilted as indicated in HG. 2 with the sleeve being adjusted to engage the innermost side of the spool and then secured in position by locking device 32 in a manner to prevent any inward sliding movement of the spool along the rod 20. With the spool properly positioned on the rod, the end 24 is engaged onto the end of the shaft 11, after which the tool operator uses both hands in grasping handle 23 and lifting the same upwards in the direction of arrow 55 of FIG. 3 pennitting the supporting and stabilizing member 40 to pivot vertically about bolt 43 to a position perpendicular to rod body portion 21, with this lifting motion simultaneously sliding rod end 24 further over the end of shaft 11 until engagement with stop 25. A stop member is provided transversely between members 41 in a position to engage with the bottom most surface of rod body portion 21 upon the support member 40 being swung into a position perpendicular thereto such that stop member 60 prevents any further vertical swinging movement of the support member in the direction of the rod body portion. It is to be understood that prior to utilization of the tool that first members 41 have been adjusted relative to second members 48 to a height corresponding with the vertical height of the shaft 11 from the ground surface 12 so that when the support member is in the operative supporting and stabilizing position then the rod body portion 21 is substantially coaxially aligned with the axis of the shaft 11.

With the spool properly positioned by the tool 10, and as the supporting member 40 forms a firm support and stabilization for the tool 10, the operator may use both hands in the pushing of the spool 14 off of the rod 20 and into registration with the shaft 11, this being accomplished either by directly pushing on the spool or by pushing the spool by unlocking the sleeve member 30 and using the same to push the spool off of the rod 20 and onto the unwinding shaft 11.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a tool wherein a single operator may position a heavy spool relative to an unwinding shaft, lift the spool into alignment with the shaft, and due to the supporting and stabilizing aspects of the tool, utilize both hands in pushing the heavy spool off of the tool and onto the unwinding shaft, after which the tool is readily stored in a minimum of space for future utilization.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A spool mounting tool for the lifting and mounting of a spool having cable, rope, wire and the like wrapped thereabout onto a horizontally extending spool supporting unwinding shaft, the tool comprising:

a lifting rod lever having an elongated body portion and generally opposed first and second ends, the body portion adapted to be slideably received through the center of the spool in a manner supporting the spool thereon, the first end adapted to be removably engaged with a projecting end of the unwinding shaft, the second end associated with a second end portion of the body portion that is bent out of the axis of the body portion in a manner to form a concave angle therewith;

a handle to which the end of the second end portion of the lifting rod lever is attached centrally thereof so that the handle extends to the sides of the rod substantially normal to the plane of the rod passing through the body portion and the second end portion;

a hollow sleeve adjustably slideably received on the rod body portion adapted to engage the spool placed on the rod intermediate the sleeve and first rod end, the sleeve being dimensioned to be freely slideable over the entire length of the rod body portion and having locking means associated therewith for retaining the sleeve in any selected position along the rod body portion;

a supporting and stabilizing member having one end carried by the lifting rod lever and adapted to swing relative thereto between an inoperative position laying on a ground surface and an operative supporting and stabilizing position resting on the ground substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod body portion, the supporting and stabilizing member comprising a first elongated member having a top end pivotally connected to the lifting rod lever intermediate the body portion and the second end portion, a second elongated member having a top end portion in telescoping engagement with the bottom end portion of the first member, and a base having the bottom end of the second member attached centrally thereof and projecting perpendicular thereto so that the base extends to the sides of the supporting member substantially normal to the axis thereof in a manner to engage the ground surface when the supporting member is swung into its operative position.

2. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member is of a hollow cylindrical configuration freely slideable in a reciprocal manner along the entire length of the rod body portion, the outermost end of the sleeve adapted to engage with innermost and of a spool received on the rod to prevent any further inwardly directed movement of the spool along the rod, and the locking means consisting of a radially extending threaded aperture provided in a side wall of the sleeve adapted to receive therein a threaded stem of a bolt such that rotation of the bolt about its axis will effect the engagement of the innermost end of the bolt with the outermost surface of the rod to frictionally retain in a positive manner the sleeve member in the selected position along the rod, with rotation of the bolt in the opposite direction effecting the release of the sleeve member from the selected position.

3. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 2 further characterized by the first end of the lifting rod being of a hollow cylindrical configuration having an innermost diameter greater than the diameter of the unwinding shaft, a stop member secured in the first end of the rod slightly inwardly therefrom in a manner to engage the end of the unwinding shaft when the rod is substantially aligned therewith, the first end being undercut at an angle of about 45 for assisting in engagement thereof with the end of the unwinding shaft when the rod is at an angle thereto having the handle end resting near the ground surface with the rod projecting upwardly therefrom at an angle to engage the first end with the end of the unwinding shaft.

4. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 3 further characterized by a stop member secured to the first elongated member in a position adapted to engage the bottom most surface of the rod body portion upon the support member being swung into an operative position, the stop member preventing rotative movement of the support member beyond its operative position in a manner assuring the proper position of the supporting and stabilizing member relative to the lifting rod lever when in the operative position.

5. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting and stabilizing member comprises a first pair of elongated U-shaped channel members arranged in parallel spaced apart confronting relationship, and a second pair of elongated U-shaped channel members arranged in parallel spaced apart confronting relationship, the bottom end portions of the first members telescopically received in respective top end portions of the second members, a series of longitudinally spaced transversely extending apertures extending through both the bottom end portions of the first members and top end portions of the second members and adapted for selective axial alignment in a manner providing the desired telescope position of the first and second members to be retained by inserting a locking bolt through aligned sets of apertures, the top ends of the first members being disposed on respective sides of the lifting rod lever and pivotally secured thereto in a manner providing vertical swinging rotation of the support member in the plane of the lifting rod lever in a manner toward and away from the second end portion thereof, the second end portion adapted to be received between the pairs of first and second members when the supporting member is in the inoperative position laying on the ground supporting surface.

6. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein the lifting rod lever is of a hollow cylindrical configuration having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the unwinding shaft with an outer diameter less than the diameter of the spool central opening and extending axially therethrough such that a spool may be received on the rod with the first end of the rod engaging the free end of the unwinding shaft. 

1. A spool mounting tool for the lifting and mounting of a spool having cable, rope, wire and the like wrapped thereabout onto a horizontally extending spool supporting unwinding shaft, the tool comprising: a lifting rod lever having an elongated body portion and generally opposed first and second ends, the body portion adapted to be slideably received through the center of the spool in a manner supporting the spool thereon, the first end adapted to be removably engaged with a projecting end of the unwinding shaft, the second end associated with a second end portion of the body portion that is bent out of the axis of the body portion in a manner to form a concave angle therewith; a handle to which the end of the second end portion of the lifting rod lever is attached centrally thereof so that the handle extends to the sides of the rod substantially normal to the plane of the rod passing through the body portion and the second end portion; a hollow sleeve adjustably slideably received on the rod body portion adapted to engage the spool placed on the rod intermediate the sleeve and first rod end, the sleeve being dimensioned to be freely slideable over the entire length of the rod body portion and having locking means associated therewith for retaining the sleeve in any selected position along the rod body portion; a supporting and stabilizing member having one end carried by the lifting rod lever and adapted to swing relative thereto between an inoperative position laying on a ground surface and an operative supporting and stabilizing position resting on the ground substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod body portion, the supporting and stabilizing member comprising a first elongated member having a top end pivotally connected to the lifting rod lever intermediate the body portion and the second End portion, a second elongated member having a top end portion in telescoping engagement with the bottom end portion of the first member, and a base having the bottom end of the second member attached centrally thereof and projecting perpendicular thereto so that the base extends to the sides of the supporting member substantially normal to the axis thereof in a manner to engage the ground surface when the supporting member is swung into its operative position.
 2. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member is of a hollow cylindrical configuration freely slideable in a reciprocal manner along the entire length of the rod body portion, the outermost end of the sleeve adapted to engage with innermost and of a spool received on the rod to prevent any further inwardly directed movement of the spool along the rod, and the locking means consisting of a radially extending threaded aperture provided in a side wall of the sleeve adapted to receive therein a threaded stem of a bolt such that rotation of the bolt about its axis will effect the engagement of the innermost end of the bolt with the outermost surface of the rod to frictionally retain in a positive manner the sleeve member in the selected position along the rod, with rotation of the bolt in the opposite direction effecting the release of the sleeve member from the selected position.
 3. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 2 further characterized by the first end of the lifting rod being of a hollow cylindrical configuration having an innermost diameter greater than the diameter of the unwinding shaft, a stop member secured in the first end of the rod slightly inwardly therefrom in a manner to engage the end of the unwinding shaft when the rod is substantially aligned therewith, the first end being undercut at an angle of about 45* for assisting in engagement thereof with the end of the unwinding shaft when the rod is at an angle thereto having the handle end resting near the ground surface with the rod projecting upwardly therefrom at an angle to engage the first end with the end of the unwinding shaft.
 4. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 3 further characterized by a stop member secured to the first elongated member in a position adapted to engage the bottom most surface of the rod body portion upon the support member being swung into an operative position, the stop member preventing rotative movement of the support member beyond its operative position in a manner assuring the proper position of the supporting and stabilizing member relative to the lifting rod lever when in the operative position.
 5. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting and stabilizing member comprises a first pair of elongated U-shaped channel members arranged in parallel spaced apart confronting relationship, and a second pair of elongated U-shaped channel members arranged in parallel spaced apart confronting relationship, the bottom end portions of the first members telescopically received in respective top end portions of the second members, a series of longitudinally spaced transversely extending apertures extending through both the bottom end portions of the first members and top end portions of the second members and adapted for selective axial alignment in a manner providing the desired telescope position of the first and second members to be retained by inserting a locking bolt through aligned sets of apertures, the top ends of the first members being disposed on respective sides of the lifting rod lever and pivotally secured thereto in a manner providing vertical swinging rotation of the support member in the plane of the lifting rod lever in a manner toward and away from the second end portion thereof, the second end portion adapted to be received between the pairs of first and second members when the supporting member is in the inoperative position laying on the ground supporting surface.
 6. The spool mounting tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein The lifting rod lever is of a hollow cylindrical configuration having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the unwinding shaft with an outer diameter less than the diameter of the spool central opening and extending axially therethrough such that a spool may be received on the rod with the first end of the rod engaging the free end of the unwinding shaft. 